U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton is poised to make public the worst kept secret in Arkansas politics: he's challenging Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor next year.

Cotton was scheduled to address supporters at a campaign event in his hometown of Dardanelle and was expected to announce that he'll challenge Pryor.

Cotton, 36, is a former management consultant who served in the Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was elected in November to represent the 4th Congressional District, which covers western and southern Arkansas.

Republicans widely view Pryor as the most vulnerable Senate incumbent on the ballot next year. Groups on the right and left are already airing ads criticizing the two-term senator.

Pryor last week criticized his expected challenger, accusing him of alienating students, farmers and women since joining Congress in January.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor is wasting little time going after expected Republican rival Tom Cotton, criticizing the freshman congressman for voting against a measure aimed at lowering the costs of borrowing for college for millions of students.

Thousands of California acres are ablaze as firefighters battle at least 21 wildfires throughout the state, but while many of those fires are small or mostly contained, the wind and heat that are spreading the Rocky Fire in Northern California -- and...